PennState11 Posted May 17, 2002 Share Posted May 17, 2002 Hows the better running back behind Walter Payton and Jim Brown. Wilbon and Kornheiser both say Emmitt but i think that Barry is better because he had no offensive line and would have gotten to the rushing record a lot quicker than Smith. What do you all think? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rat_Boy Posted May 17, 2002 Share Posted May 17, 2002 This is one of those loaded questions. I too think that Barry did more with FAR less on the OL. I also think that Barry WOULD HAVE broken the record had he stayed. But, it's not Emmitt's fault that Barry retired. I really don't know who to think is better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bulldog Posted May 17, 2002 Share Posted May 17, 2002 I think Sanders was a more talented back, but he lacked discipline and was also a player that seemed far more productive on the carpet than on grass. Emmitt is more durable, stronger and a tougher competitor. While Sanders might have made the 180 degree turn for the highlight reel, Smith was merely gaining 5 or 6 yards and not picking up those ugly tackles for a loss that killed Detroit drives when I watched Lions games. Certainly, no one who saw Emmitt come out and play with a separated shoulder in that playoff game against the Giants would say that he isn't a money player, a real gamer. You might not like the guy's team, but you have to admit that as a player Emmitt has been top shelf. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shawn Posted May 17, 2002 Share Posted May 17, 2002 you have to also look at the playoff performances. Emmitt would always be able to elavate his game while sanders routinely disappeared in big games. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheKurp Posted May 17, 2002 Share Posted May 17, 2002 Well if you use the Redskins as the measuring stick then Smith is by far the better back. I seem to recall the Redskins having far better luck at stopping Sanders then they ever had stopping Emmitt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bulldog Posted May 17, 2002 Share Posted May 17, 2002 in a way this argument is like Marino vs. Montana. Marino had a few opportunities to shine and didn't in big games against the 49ers in SBXIX and in those 1990's playoffs against Buffalo. Montana had more opportunites, but took advantage of most of them. Smith had a better team around him which means he got more rings. But from the other perspective, you can also say that with Troy and Michael and Jay, Emmitt had to 'share the wealth' at times where Barry was the sole focus of the Lions attack for years. Sanders did appear in a number of playoff games including here in 1991 against the Skins in the Championship Game. He never produced any really big numbers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atlanta Skins Fan Posted May 17, 2002 Share Posted May 17, 2002 I always thought Sanders was more physically talented, but that Smith was simply a tougher back. If you wanted to win Superbowls, you wanted Smith. If you wanted highlight reels, you wanted Sanders. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uptown Skins Posted May 17, 2002 Share Posted May 17, 2002 Barry Sanders! Dallas probably would've won 5 superbowls with Barry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carlito Sway Posted May 17, 2002 Share Posted May 17, 2002 In my mind, there's no contest: #22 is the better back. Forget about the extraneous stuff, like the fact that Sanders is a weirdo who lets his Dad do the talking. I was amazed by Barry's ability, just like everyone else. And there is no denying that the 'triplets' in Big D were a more balanced squad than what Sanders had in Detroit. However, Barry Sanders was a back who needed special attention. Special attention from the team playing with him and special attention from the team playing against him. The OC of a Sanders squad would have to get him the ball over and over, all four quarters, in order for the stars to align in such a way that he'd break a highlight reel stunner. The problem was that along the way, many a drive was killed when he shuck and jived his way to an 8 yard loss on 3rd and 2. Meanwhile, the WRs, TEs, FBs, et al, were left like bridesmaids, never getting their number called. Who knows how many games they lost by having to milk that cow all game long for one drink of milk? Emmitt, meanwhile, won rings in a Norv ("run only when you have to") Turner system. Troy was throwing the up-n-back route to #88 all day, Moose was getting his reps, and then Emmitt was counted on to get 3 yards off tackle with a broken arm or whatever. Plus, Emmitt is one of those special, special backs who doesn't run out of gas after four seasons. Barry quit: we may never know why. Maybe he got bored, or maybe he realized he was running on fumes. Who knows. But what we do know is that Emmitt is awfully good. And I am one skins fan who takes heart in the fact that he's just about done. Thanks God. I'm telling you, I'll watch 100 Alf and Emmitt 10-10-220 commercials in a row every day for a year if that guy would retire already. It's killing me to have him still shred us twice a season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darth Tater Posted May 17, 2002 Share Posted May 17, 2002 One of the most memorable moments for me about Sander's came in a game against the 'Skins. I think he had like 20 carries for about 120 yards. Thing was, like 100 of those yards came on 2-3 carries of which only one was a TD. Most of the rest of his carries were for a yard or two (if not for a loss). Personally, I like a back I can count on for 4 yards or the tough yards to get a touchdown or keep a drive going. I like to use my wr to get the big play although I do enjoy a big run if my rb can get it without giving up his consistency. So, what I'm saying in a round-about fashion, is that given the choice, I'd take Smith in a heart-beat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PennState11 Posted May 17, 2002 Author Share Posted May 17, 2002 Well if you use the Redskins as the measuring stick then Smith is by far the better back. I seem to recall the Redskins having far better luck at stopping Sanders then they ever had stopping Emmitt. Smith has had good games but one of my least favorite commercials in history is the one when it shows him score on the skins and makes Greg Jones and Stanley Richard look like fools. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
88Comrade2000 Posted May 17, 2002 Share Posted May 17, 2002 Emitt Smith. I doubt Barry would've done that great having to play the nfc east on a regular basis. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NavyDave Posted May 18, 2002 Share Posted May 18, 2002 Regular season Barry Sanders. Playoffs and superbowl Emmitt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RyansRangers Posted May 18, 2002 Share Posted May 18, 2002 I think that to answer that question you would have to ask the NFL players.. If any of you remember when Sanders retired all the defensive players said he was the hardest to tackle and hardest to catch... Also a lot of backs can pound the ball and eventually break one... How many can lose 2yrds then 4 yrds then take one to the house... No to mention that this man broke the record already for rushing if you count his side line to sideline running before he broke the line of scrimmage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OrangeSkin Posted May 18, 2002 Share Posted May 18, 2002 Emmitt can run, period. But Barry has a vast array of skills that have never been seen in any back. Barry as one of a kind, whereas there a more than a few backs cut from the Emmitt Smith mold, although they're not nearly as successful as him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brave Posted May 18, 2002 Share Posted May 18, 2002 Emmitt. You want your team to get on the highlights on Sportcenter? Go with Barry Sanders. You want to win Super Bowls? Take Emmitt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mad Mike Posted May 18, 2002 Share Posted May 18, 2002 I cant help it. I loved watching Sanders run. Not only that but he never had CLOSE to the supporting cast that Emit had. Imagine Sanders playing behind a realy good line with the D equaly worried about the pass. WOW. And we havent even talked about the coaching. Choosing between the two is like asking who was the better heavyweight boxer Ali or Tyson? But my short answer has to be Sanders with Smith a very close second on his toughness and desire. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
indyskinsfan Posted May 18, 2002 Share Posted May 18, 2002 Emmitt Smith. Eerily it is a comparison to the way in which handles himself, like Jim Brown, with only Edgerrin James having a similar style. Smith did so much more than Sanders on the field. He lived for another day when series bogged down. He stayed focused, so that instead of trying to gobble up yardage on busted plays, he fell forward. Blocking an opponent was never a problem and only a handful did it as good. His pass catching was never questioned and for the number of carries he's had, his turnover ratio isn't bad at all. We all know of his TD's, whether they seemed average, doable by any other back or the line with Aikman and Irving increased his chances. Nevertheless he still had to run to get there and each one of those babies counted. I hated to see him head to the endzone for a score against us, and also when I thought we bottled up their offense pretty good, their defense got it back for his dagger carrying score. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smith22 Posted May 18, 2002 Share Posted May 18, 2002 Although I think Sanders had more talent, Emmitt is the better back IMO due to his toughness, durability and desire. The biggest knock I had on Sanders was that he got pulled inside the 10 for no name running backs to come in to score a TD. Emmitt would have never accepted that role, he would have been the one scoring the TD's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GatorEye Posted May 18, 2002 Share Posted May 18, 2002 Emmitt definitely is the man although they have different styles. I will say he always did play well against us where we were always able to stop Sanders. I don't know why that is. Emmitt always would be able to get the tough yards. Plus I have to go with Emmitt out of loyalty to my fellow Gator Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGDC Posted May 18, 2002 Share Posted May 18, 2002 Barry Sanders no question, although the skins did have more trouble stopping Emmit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DIESEL TROLL Posted May 19, 2002 Share Posted May 19, 2002 I gotta agree with R99 & OS.....Barry Sanders had more "natural ability and talent" than any other RB I've ever seen..... I don't mean to sound blasphemous (sp?) but can you imagine what this guy might have done with a line like the "Hawgs" in front of him? :stop: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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